Red Bull entered the energy drink scene in 1997, and it is now the most popular energy drink worldwide. The drink is infused with multiple vitamins and caffeine, which people drink in order to remain alert and focused. Another popular reason to drink the energy drink is to mix it with alcohol. While some people doubt the efficacy of energy drinks, studies have shown that energy drinks do increase alertness about 30 minutes after drinking one, and the effect lasts for over an hour. Unfortunately, this jolt of energy is typically coupled with a crash, where the consumer of the energy drink experiences a rapid decrease in energy following its effects (Malinauskas, Aeby, Overton, Carpenter-Aeby, & Barber-Heidal, 2007). This is not to mention the other negative health effects of the drink. The want to drink Red Bull energy drinks in order to get through an unbearable day is understandable, but in the long run, the health risks these drinks impose may be too great to condone.
One of the most worrisome health risks caused by Red Bull may be death. In 2017, a 16-year-old boy died from a heart arrhythmia that was believed to be caused by too much caffeine (Ubelacker, 2017). Swedish officials have been investigating the death of three people who died following their consumption of Red Bull. The causes of death in these circumstances is not conclusive, but it spreads a dark cloud of doubt over the healthiness of the product. Red Bull claims their product is completely safe, but nutritionists are not so sure (Harris, 2017).
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The negative physical effects of Red Bull and other energy drinks are many. Diuresis is increased with consumption, which means a person will urinate more frequently, and he or she may lose too much salt (Malinauskas et al., 2007). This increases dehydration and stresses the heart and the kidneys according to nutritionists (Harris, 2017). Energy drinks also decrease insulin sensitivity and increase arterial blood pressure. Chronic consumers of energy drinks may experience chronic headaches (Malinauskas et al., 2007).
Among college students, this may be more of a problem than among other populations. In one study of 496 college student, 51 percent of the subjects said they drank more than one energy drink a month. Typically, they did this because of lack of sleep, but other common reasons were to finish long assignments, drive long distances, combine with drinks, or cure a hangover (Malinauskas et al., 2007). Two of the three deaths being investigated in Sweden occurred when people were mixing energy drinks with liquor (Harris, 2017).
The take home message when investigating the effects of Red Bull is that moderation is the key. The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has not addressed Red Bull safety issues because they have not received a complaint as of yet. However, France, Denmark, and Norway have limited sales of energy drinks to the extent that only pharmacies are able to sell them (Harris, 2017). The 16-year-old boy who died of the heart arrhythmia had drank multiple caffenated beverages prior to his death. As a result, The American Academy of Pediatrics has made a statement that there are health risks associated with energy drinks because they contain stimulants, but there is no clear message sent to the public about the dangers (Ubelacker, 2017). Therefore, the only logical conclusion is to tread lightly when it comes to energy drink consumption, and this likely reduces the health risk.
Red Bull was a billion-dollar industry in 2016, so it is unlikely that the sale of energy drinks is going to dissipate at any time in the near future (Harris, 2017). The safety issues surrounding the product are warranted, but it is difficult to communicate these dangers when the positive effects of the drink are real. Therefore, the message sent to the public should be that moderation is the only safe way to consume energy drinks like Red Bull.
